Italian group asks MTV to cancel upcoming 'Jersey Shore' reality show

By Christopher Rocchio, 11/24/2009

A new MTV reality series that refers to Italian-Americans as "Guidos" isn't going over so well with some New Jersey residents.

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UNICO -- the country's largest Italian-American service organization -- says MTV's new Jersey Shore reality series is offensive to Italian-Americans and should be pulled from the air prior to its December 3 premiere, New Jersey's Star-Ledgerreported.

"Trash television sells, and they'd be more interested in making money than how they're offending a great group of people," UNICO president Andre Dimino told the Star-Ledger.

Jersey Shore will follow a group of young people as they live and work on the Garden State's shoreline, with MTV billing the cast some of the "hottest, tannest, craziest Guidos."

Dimino argues that Jersey Shore is promoting Italian-American stereotypes, according to the Star-Ledger, which added he despises the term "Guido" despite the fact that it is used proudly by some of the show's cast members.

Dimino told the Star-Ledger he hasn't heard back from MTV about his request but also doesn't expect to.